Lithuania mobilizes 5,500 volunteers for national defense - Polskie Radio

The majority of volunteers are from the Vilnius region, with over 2,500 individuals coming forward.

One volunteer, Tomasz Bożerocki, a historian from Vilnius University, stated that he wanted to be useful and noted his desire to acquire specific skills.

All 5,500 individuals have registered at command posts or special command offices. In September, the volunteers will undergo selection and then begin specialized training, with the first sessions scheduled for October.

The registration process for special forces ended yesterday, August 31, at midnight.

The concept of command posts in Lithuania

Command posts are an initiative by the Lithuanian authorities to involve civilians in national defense.

According to Bożerocki, this initiative not only prepares for potential partisan warfare in the event of occupation but also involves registration and voluntary participation in other areas of public life.

The historian noted that it could be logistics or psychology, and added that not all of them were cut out to be soldiers.

According to Polskie Radio, during wartime, command posts perform tasks such as combating sabotage groups, protecting critical infrastructure, establishing checkpoints, and overseeing evacuation processes.

Additionally, in August of this year, Lithuania began construction of a military base on the border with Russia. Upon completion, expected by the end of 2027, the base will house 4,000 German soldiers.